When this album came out, the single, if I recall correctly, was Cash's updated take on Dylan's "Wanted Man." I remember slipping it into rotation on the country station I programmed. Cash was in freefall as far as radio play was concerned at the time, as was every other "heritage" artist. It was the age of Garth, after all, and young'uns dominated the mainstream airwaves. Little did we know that in just a couple of years, Rick Rubin would get him to scale back to his roots to appeal to the grunge generation. (Although U2 had him contribute vocals to "The Wanderer," it didn't have the same effect as Rubin's production did for his 'American Recordings.' It just sounded like a ghostly dispatch from a long lost, albeit highly-lauded, ancestor.) I'm still stunned that, for the most part, country listeners abandoned one of the legends of the genre while rockers and punks embraced him at his most genuine. Oh, sweet irony.
Sadly, I didn't get around to hearing the rest of the album until now, thanks to this post. Thanks for pulling this out of my memory banks!
Shame he led with Wanted Man and then his audience and the Country establishment made it seem like he was anything but. I don't love all of those American Recordings with Rick Rubin (although some are obviously phenomenal) but I'm so glad they reminded the rest of the world just how great Johnny Cash was and always will be
When this album came out, the single, if I recall correctly, was Cash's updated take on Dylan's "Wanted Man." I remember slipping it into rotation on the country station I programmed. Cash was in freefall as far as radio play was concerned at the time, as was every other "heritage" artist. It was the age of Garth, after all, and young'uns dominated the mainstream airwaves. Little did we know that in just a couple of years, Rick Rubin would get him to scale back to his roots to appeal to the grunge generation. (Although U2 had him contribute vocals to "The Wanderer," it didn't have the same effect as Rubin's production did for his 'American Recordings.' It just sounded like a ghostly dispatch from a long lost, albeit highly-lauded, ancestor.) I'm still stunned that, for the most part, country listeners abandoned one of the legends of the genre while rockers and punks embraced him at his most genuine. Oh, sweet irony.
Sadly, I didn't get around to hearing the rest of the album until now, thanks to this post. Thanks for pulling this out of my memory banks!
Shame he led with Wanted Man and then his audience and the Country establishment made it seem like he was anything but. I don't love all of those American Recordings with Rick Rubin (although some are obviously phenomenal) but I'm so glad they reminded the rest of the world just how great Johnny Cash was and always will be
I didn't realise that he wrote it as well until I checked! Great stuff.
Oh that's funny about the Bugles for breakfast. I thought of you when I saw him offering those in the film actually, but forgot to say! :)
Maybe Bob should make that song! Haha that's funny. Did I send you that article about the Bugles? It was very amusing!
He should! And no, I don't think you did. I'm sure I'd have remembered! :)
Excellent. Cash was a supreme storyteller because he could tell a tragic story and wink at the mysteries of life at the same time.
Bob had histoplasmosis! Which led to Time Out of Mind.
Thom
Absolutely, the whole wide world was contained inside his voice, wasn't it?
Yes .. from the spirited (in all senses) days of youth to the ruined choir of his old age